McLoud brothers charged in local man's death

A McLoud man is charged with first-degree murder and his brother faces a felony accessory charge in the death of a McLoud man whose body was found last month at Shawnee Twin Lakes.

Kim Morava

A McLoud man is charged with first-degree murder and his brother faces a felony accessory charge in the death of a McLoud man whose body was found last month at Shawnee Twin Lakes.

Adam Pacheco, 27, was found dead Dec. 29 about halfway down the north side of the dam on Belcher Road at Lake No. 1. His cause of death was ruled as multiple gunshot wounds.

Formal charges were filed in the case Wednesday in Pottawatomie County District Court.

Andrew Wallace Fish, 25, is charged with murder the first degree, deliberate intent. He is accused of “deliberately, intentionally, with malice aforethought,” causing the death of Pacheco by shooting him in the head with a firearm.

His brother, Reuben Dale Fish, 33, is charged with accessory after the fact and is accused of having knowledge that his brother committed the crime of murder, charges show. Prosecutors also allege Reuben Fish aided his brother in moving Pacheco’s body from their residence at 487 Harris Drive in McLoud so that Andrew Fish could avoid or escape arrest in the crime, charges show.

A multi-agency investigation was launched on the morning of Dec. 29 after a passerby spotted the body near the dam. By the end of the day, the Fish brothers were in custody. Both suspects remained jailed Wednesday without bond, jail record show.

According to the arrest affidavits filed in the case, the medical examiner at the scene concluded Pacheco had seven to nine small gunshot wounds.

The probe led police to the home of Andrew Fish in McLoud, where they found evidence of Pacheco being murdered at that home.

From interviews in this case, it appears that Pacheco was suffering from a bloody and swollen eye when Andrew Fish allegedly “pulled out a black handgun and shot Pacheco several times,” the affidavit alleges.

Rueben Fish allegedly claimed his brother put Pacheco in a closet for about 30 minutes after the shooting before the brothers wrapped the victim in a carpet and loaded him into a pickup, the court document reads.

Andrew Fish allegedly left with the body and upon his return reported that he rolled Pacheco down a hill by the lake, the affidavit alleges.

The next court date for the brothers hasn’t yet been scheduled.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Andrew Fish could face the death penalty, imprisonment for life or life without parole.

Reuben Fish, if convicted on the accessory charge, could face imprisonment not less than five to 45 years.